This invention relates to video games, and more particularly to a video game player character image development system and methodology for smooth integration of user created video graphics into a predefined video game system, and to an adapter interface system which provides for the utilization of a user visual image as a preselected character segment, such that the user visual image is incorporated into the audiovisual presentation of the video game to which the adapter interface system is coupled.
Heretofore, video games have been self contained, and have not provided the ability for the user to integrate in a user-defined or -provided visual or audio image. Subsequent to the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,014, video games have been created which utilized predefined digitized images in the video game which supplement the otherwise cartoon-like character and imagery of the game. Additionally, digital and analog video data have been merged with video games to get broadcast quality video for certain aspects of the video display for the video game, particularly in arcade games, but more recently in home video games with attached CD-ROM player. However, heretofore, there has been no system which has provided for the utilization of user provided or created visual images in the video game.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system which utilizes an image generated by an external source (of video and/or audio and/or computer generated), and integrates the image into and as part of a pre-existing audiovisual work (such as from a video game system or a movie or animation) which utilizes the user's image in the video game play or as a synthetic participating user image in the audiovisual presentation, such that the user image is incorporated into the audiovisual presentation of the user interactive video game.
It is further an object of the present invention to optimally benefit from the user video and audio image in video games and to develop a methodology for creating video games compatible with user image integration concepts.
It is an additional object to provide a system and methodology for orderly transfer and integration of the user created visual image, or images, into the video game.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide various means for users of video game apparatus to capture and/or provide for placement and storage of the user's visual image onto a medium which can be coupled either via an adapter or directly to one or more game systems and/or game cartridges which connect to the game systems.